The Squirrels Are Messing With Me…

The shop is in an old barn so critters have ways of getting in and out - and I don't doubt critters have visited the shop. But I don't need reminders: Two weeks ago I found a walnut on the floor of the Boat Cave. Last week I found a walnut in the middle of the shop floor. And today I realize the squirrels are just messing with me (more on that later).

Practicing my birdsmouth cutting and building skills, I'm putting together two short mock-ups of the mizzen mast. I'm using slightly different specifications for the staves to help me decide the cross-section I want for the spar. The samples will be long enough for me to figure out the cut-outs for the mast in the stern seat and the partners.

Planning ahead, I've cobbled together rollers to facilitate handling spars when I epoxy coat and, in warmer temperatures, varnish them. Three pairs of 2" fixed castors attached to the "spar bench" support a spar. I can readily turn a spar by hand but I've crafted a crank/handle for the mast fitted to the tenon at the foot. The crank will allow a helper to rotate the mast while I epoxy or varnish.

Back to the squirrels: Yesterday I found a walnut carefully placed next to one pair of castors on the spar bench:

Proof the squirrels are messing with me.